Go the reds !

[Kaiowaka 10]

Liverpool (Sign of approval) - Chelsea (Sign of disapproval) 1-0 !!!!!!

We are in finale and soon champions !!!!!!

(Whistling...) :-S (Exclamation...) (Blowing horn...) :-D

[aderechelsea 125]

Thanks for the interest you are showing to my person.

i am honoured that you spent your time to post this really imporant topic just to pick on me .... (and you know that you did it just for that)

You are a joke just like your team ..

:-S

[Hashira 0]

could be, or could be that he, like I am, is really a Liverpool fan. It's been a tough time for a while, hopefully there will be a cup this season :-S

[Mark Buckton 1]

It's been a tough time for a while,

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I'd say 'a while' - what was the last major European tropyh won? (Uefa Cup being unimportant when all is said and done) Was it 83? ish?

Personally have never forgiven the scousers for condemning the rest of the UK teams to years of non-entry because of the Heysel game and murdering dozens of Italians and Belgians. Won't even start on the 96? they killed in Sheffield with the fences around England and the removal of standing areas the result. Proud team the 'pool'?

And being a proper red - from Manchester have enjoyed the last 2 decades no-end bar for these horrible events.

Would love to see them win the European Cup then not be allowed to appear next yer because they finish behind Everton.

However, as far as Japan is concerend, I hope Milan win. Should Liverpool come here, spending their hard earned giros on the way, Ishihara will have a valid point about crime in the city. :-D (plus just happen to know a few Milan fans so tickets won't be a worry for Toyota Cup)

Get the point our kid, eh, eh, eh, eh, eh? :-S

[Doitsuyama 1,192]

Would love to see them win the European Cup then not be allowed to appear next yer because they finish behind Everton.

The winner is qualified by default for next year.

[Kaiowaka 10]

Thanks for the interest you are showing to my person.

i am honoured that you spent your time to post this really imporant topic just to pick on me .... (and you know that you did it just for that)

You are a joke just like your team ..

:-)

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Sorry, Chelsea was on the road of Liverpool !

It is not an attack against the "Chelsea fan" whom you are !

I'am a "Liverpool fan's" from 1978...................................!!!!!!

Always in checks and bad moments ! A team for the life !

Today, i am very happy for Liverpool............................and for me too !

[Mark Buckton 1]

Would love to see them win the European Cup then not be allowed to appear next yer because they finish behind Everton.

The winner is qualified by default for next year.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/europe/4496459.stm

should be worth a read

[Mark Buckton 1]

Thanks for the interest you are showing

I'am a "Liverpool fan's" from 1978...................................!!!!!!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

the glory days of Hansen, Hughes, Dalglish, McDermott etc - nice timing. :-) :-)

[Burainoan 0]

Waitaminnit, aren't the Reds in Urawa...and didn't they win the championship last year??

:-)

[Elenrian 0]

I read the goal scored by Liverpool was not very clear : some people said the ball did not cross the line... It is a bit unfair, but I don't like Chelsea because I don't like Didier Drogba (he was in Marseille last year, and Marseille is the last team after Lyon I will support!) and William Gallas. ( HE is in the French team, whereas MY favorite player should be in!!!) So it is very well! No longer Lyon :-) , no longer Gallas... Excellent!

Edited May 4, 2005 by Elenrian

[ilovesumo 12]

Whole soccer sux (Football player...) (Enjoying a beer...)

Make love not war!

(Waving white flag...)

Edited May 5, 2005 by ilovesumo

[aderechelsea 125]

though i agree with you that the RS are laughable, its highly amusing a fan of a team that has won its first title in 50 YEARS! is saying it.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

i was talking about their current status as a team. ...

we may have won the chamionship only this year but have you noticed how many times we placed above Liverpool in the last seasons .... (Enjoying a beer...)

[Mark Buckton 1]

Would love to see them win the European Cup then not be allowed to appear next yer because they finish behind Everton.

The winner is qualified by default for next year.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/t...ool/4515401.stm (Enjoying a beer...) (Enjoying a beer...) (Enjoying a beer...)

[Jejima 1,415]

This is a tricky one....

Let's say Liverpool win the Championship and Everton come 4th in the Premiership (with Liverpool 5th).

It would be unfair for Liverpool NOT to defend their title.

It would be unfair to deny Everton the right to enter next year's championship - not only have they worked hard for the 'other position' in English football (I can't see any team knocking the current top 3 out of the top 3 slots for the next few years), they would also lose a lot in revenue.

It would be unfair to give England five slots next year. No other country has ever had five slots, so why should England? Especially as this would mean changing the rules at such a late stage (plus there has been a precedent in the recent past).

The England FA are told that they must decide which teams they'll send to the Championship next year.

I'd say that the fairest way (which they can adopt in all future situations) would be to have Everton and Liverpool play off against each other for the 4th spot from England on a home and away basis. Not only would this sort things out rather nicely, just think of the gate receipts and TV rights for such a nice derby with all at stake (Enjoying a beer...)

[Asashosakari 19,675]

It would be unfair for Liverpool NOT to defend their title.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Why? Strictly speaking, the notion of "title defense" only makes sense in the context of static leagues. The Champions League is effectively a tournament that one needs to qualify for; if you're not even able to get through the qualification phase, I don't see why you should be given additional chances to enter.

Of course, many major tournaments will enter the previous champions anyway, either by automatic qualification (e.g. the World Cup), or by giving out wildcards if necessary (e.g. tennis). Still, that's a matter of courtesy and of providing audience draws, not a god-given right. Frankly, there's enough star power in the Champions League in any given year that precious few people would miss the previous year's champion, be it named Liverpool or Munich or Madrid or whomever. Except that club's fans, of course.

Edited May 6, 2005 by Asashosakari

[Jejima 1,415]

It would be unfair for Liverpool NOT to defend their title.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Why? Strictly speaking, the notion of "title defense" only makes sense in the context of static leagues. The Champions League is effectively a tournament that one needs to qualify for; if you're not even able to get through the qualification phase, I don't see why you should be given additional chances to enter.

Of course, many major tournaments will enter the previous champions anyway, either by automatic qualification (e.g. the World Cup),

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Good points!!!! And of course they've changed the rules for the World Cup too. The current champions no longer automatically qualify (Brazil have to qualify for Germany 2006) - only the hosts get automatic spots.

Anyways, back to the subject, give Everton the 4th place ;-)

[Burainoan 0]

It would be unfair for Liverpool NOT to defend their title.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Why? Strictly speaking, the notion of "title defense" only makes sense in the context of static leagues.

actually even that is wrong. title defence can only occur in something like boxing or chess. in a league everyone starts off on an equal footing. same with golf. i laugh when i hear so-and-so will be defending his title.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Yeah, but then you still hear that "title defense" talk in sumo as well. and there's also the "defending ____ champions" pretty much everywhere in team sports.

technically, i agree with you - it's basically a psychological construct. but as psychological constructs go, it's quite effective. like losing or winning streaks. just ask Asashoryu.

[Sasanishiki 57]

I agree with Nishi.

You can't have a title defense in sumo. Would that be the winner of the last basho, or of the equivalent the basho before?

It is much the same with golf or tennis. I guess you might only be able to defend your title by happening to get to the final. Instead of defending champion, shouldn't we speak of the returning champion?

[Mark Buckton 1]

lot of hair splitting going on here blokes - tis a football thread after all. A thread in which Liverpool are to be abused to the fullest extent possible. Let's stay on topic neh?!

[Mark Buckton 1]

its my 1000th post  (Sign of approval)

i now am part of the big 15  (Sign of approval)

how shall i mark this historic occassion?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

by offering 1000 free tegata on SF ;-) Originals mind - not prints :-) (Pulling hair...) I'll take Oonokuni please - and Umegatani II - only 2 - not too greedy. (Pulling hair...)

[Jejima 1,415]

Defending a title..... Maybe I am getting a bit lost with the semantics but....

Who are the current world champions of football? Brazil

Who therefore has the title of world champions of football? Brazil

When do they relinquish that title? When England beats Germany in the final next year :-)

So, up until that point Brazil are the title holders.

Whilst Brazil are still in the running (until the quarter-finals when knocked out by England :-)), surely they are in the process of 'defending' their title.....???

Maybe there is some tooth-pick and fine-combing that I'm missing here, but whatever, surely it is now part of common parlance that when Brazil enter Germany 2006, they will known as the 'defending champions'? So even if it is wrong to say this due to whatever semantics you wish to use, it is correct to use as an 'idiom' due to commonly accepted usage. (A bit like 'the four corners of the Earth' to give an extreme example).

Liverpool may still finish fourth in the league....

PS England will beat Argentina in the semi-finals B-)

[sekihiryu 51]

:-) go the reds? the "Queensland Reds" lost last night to the New South Wales Waratahs"

the only place they are going is to the bottom of the table (Sign of disapproval)

I much prefer large oval balls to large round ones, small round balls are ok

[Jejima 1,415]

defending in this case is a verb and not an adjective.

as a verb it implies that brazil are in the process of defending something they hold and if they lose it is not theirs. so to take that to the logical conclusion when brazil lose any world cup game the team that beats them is the champion.i actually saw a website once where they folllowed this line of reasoning. at one point even ireland were world champions but i think they lost the title to latvia

if brazil do not qualify for the finals then are they still actively "defending the title". of course not so just "champions" is a more appropriate term

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Ah, I see your point now. You are viewing each match involving a 'reigning champion' (is that okay?) as an individual event relating to the title. I am viewing the whole new competition as the individual event. But I now think your view is more correct linguistically. :-)

[Burainoan 0]

but even if you take the whole tournament brazil would not be defending as they are starting from the same position as eveyone else.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Well, they are starting from the same position as everyone else...except that they are the current - and therefore defending - titleholders until someone stops them by knocking them out of the tournament. the defense of a title in "series" sports (one that has a season/series/tournament rather than single matches as in boxing) begins the day the next round of competition begins, whether it is a season, qualifier or basho. Brazil has made it through the qualifying rounds (i think...i don't watch soccer/football), and are therefore eligible to defend their title at the Cup next year. and by extension are the defending champions until or unless they are removed from the tournament. the title is theirs to lose.

and Asa is the defending champion until he is taken out of contention or loses to someone in the final.

that said, i do agree that technically, the only people who can truly be called "defending champions" are those who have no tournaments, series, seasons or playoffs to go through, and who retain or lose their title by virtue of a single match, played one-on-one (or one team-on-one team). which means that almost no one outside of boxers can honestly be called "defending champions." which means that it's really all about semantics and, more importantly, psychology. and psychology is a major part of any sport. which in turn means that, since it is used mainly as a psychological tool to either motivate or initimidate, the concept of "defending champion" is entirely valid in all sports.

[Mark Buckton 1]

:-( go the reds? the "Queensland Reds" lost last night to the New South Wales  Waratahs"

the only place they are going is to the bottom of the table (Sign of disapproval)

I much prefer large oval balls to large round ones, small round balls are ok

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr ;-)